淨土論 3.7

3.7

方啟法師者，花蔭人也。貞觀九年，共玄果法師於藍田縣悟真寺一夏念阿彌陀佛。乃取一楊枝著觀世音菩薩手中，誓云：「若我念佛得往生者，願此楊枝七日不萎。」依誓，遂即七日不萎也。此僧復為一切眾生請云：「如《攝論》中判作別時意、《觀經》中言即生，願於夢中見阿彌陀佛請決此疑。」即於其夜，唯在一處三度作夢。初夢在一大池，西南有一高樓，此僧從樓而下，至池東北岸上，見一寶帳高二丈餘，面東開門。此僧忽爾飛入帳中，半身得入，還出。下至帳西，有大殿宇，中見一大德告云：「但修淨土行，並生此帳中也。」遂即睡寤，復更作夢。在池北岸，見觀世音菩薩，面向北方垂脚而坐。此僧遂以手捧菩薩足，頭上載之，見足下有千輻輪相，其菩薩身作閻浮檀金色也。忽然睡覺，更復作夢。於池南面，向西而立，自池已西總皆是大水，滿中蓮華。忽見阿彌陀佛從西而來，至此僧前，此僧頭面著地禮拜。禮拜訖。即於佛前胡跪合掌請云：「娑婆世界眾生依經修行，得生世尊國不也？」佛即答云：「善男子！一切眾生但修淨土行者，並生我國。勿生疑也。」又此僧復於別夜夢見自身在娑婆世界，迴頭向西而望，見彌陀佛土平坦如鏡，見娑婆世界唯是山川東西而別。向南而望，見南坪川中有十五箇寶帳向西而去，餘者皆是七寶，唯中央一箇是其白銀帳。帳之下皆有音樂，歌詠讚歎。此僧問云：「此是何帳？」帳下人答云：「此是並往生人也。」此僧歡喜，踴身在空飛向西去，少時還住也。又於別夜夢見在一佛堂中，正當佛前有一僧名曰法藏，御一大車，就佛堂內迎令上車，載向西而去也。法藏者，即阿彌陀佛也。車者，四十八大願也。又於別夜，夢見自身坐百寶蓮花王座，面向南方垂脚而坐，成正覺也。又於別夜夢見釋迦如來共文殊師利住此僧前，讚《法花經》也。又於別夜夢見有三大道直向西方，第一道上唯是僧尼，第二道上並是俗人雜有男女，第三道上唯有一僧。皆向西而去，云皆是往生人也。此僧現在未死也。

Dharma Master Fangqi was a native of Huayin. In the ninth year of Zhenguan, he spent a summer retreat at Wuzhen Monastery in Lantian County with Dharma Master Xuanguo, reciting [the name of] Amitābha Buddha. He then took a willow branch, placed it in the hand of the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara, and made a vow, saying: 'If through mindfulness of the Buddha I am to attain rebirth, I pray that this willow branch will not wither for seven days.' In accordance with his vow, it did not wither for seven days. This monk further prayed on behalf of all sentient beings, saying: 'Whereas in the Mahāyānasaṃgraha it is judged to have the meaning of another time, the Guan jing says one is reborn immediately. I pray to see Amitābha Buddha in a dream to resolve this doubt.' Thereupon, that very night, while remaining in one place, he had three dreams. In the first dream, he was beside a large pond. To the southwest there was a tall tower; this monk descended from the tower and came to the northeast bank of the pond, where he saw a jewelled canopy more than twenty cubits high, with a door opening to the east. This monk suddenly flew into the canopy; half of his body was able to enter, and then came out again. Going down to the west of the canopy, there was a great hall, inside of which he saw an elder venerable who told him: 'Only practice the deeds of the Pure Land, and you will all be born within this canopy.' He then woke up, and again had another dream. On the northern bank of the pond, he saw the Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara seated facing north with feet pendant. This monk then held the Bodhisattva's feet in his hands and placed them atop his head, seeing the marks of a thousand-spoked wheel beneath the feet; the Bodhisattva's body was of Jāmbūnada gold. Suddenly he awoke, and again had another dream. On the south side of the pond, standing facing west, from the pond westward was all a great body of water, full of lotus flowers. Suddenly he saw Amitābha Buddha coming from the west, arriving before this monk. This monk touched his head and face to the ground in worship. When the worship was finished, he knelt on his right knee before the Buddha with palms joined and asked: 'If sentient beings of the Sahā world cultivate according to the scriptures, will they be able to be born in the World-Honoured One's realm, or not?' The Buddha then replied: 'Good son! All sentient beings, if they only cultivate the practices of the Pure Land, will all be born in my realm. Do not give rise to doubt.' Furthermore, on another night, this monk dreamt that his own body was in the Sahā world. Turning his head and looking to the west, he saw that Amitābha's Buddha-land was flat as a mirror, while seeing that the Sahā world was entirely mountains and rivers separated east and west. Looking southward, he saw fifteen jewelled canopies in the southern plain river valley going westward; the others were all made of the seven treasures, while only the single canopy in the centre was a white silver canopy. Beneath the canopies there was music throughout, with songs and praises. This monk asked: 'What canopies are these?' The people beneath the canopies answered: 'These are all people who have attained rebirth.' This monk was filled with joy, and leaping up into the air, he flew toward the west, stopping after a short while. Again, on another night, he dreamt he was inside a Buddha hall; directly before the Buddha there was a monk named Dharmākara driving a great chariot, who approached inside the Buddha hall to welcome him and have him board the chariot, carrying him away toward the west. Dharmākara is none other than Amitābha Buddha; the chariot is the forty-eight great vows. Again, on another night, he dreamt that his own body was seated on a lion-seat of a hundred-jeweled lotus king, facing south with feet pendant, having attained correct awakening. Again, on another night, he dreamt that Śākyamuni Tathāgata, together with Mañjuśrī, stood before this monk, praising the Lotus Sutra. Again, on another night, he dreamt there were three great paths leading straight toward the west. On the first path were exclusively monks and nuns; on the second path were entirely laypeople, a mixture of men and women; on the third path there was only a single monk. They were all going westward, and it was said they were all people who had attained rebirth. This monk is presently still alive.